Two Rivers Authority concluded a lease arrangement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in December 2018; the BIA took possession and began operations in April 2019.

The facility was promoted by a consortium of mostly Texan bond brokers, builders (Hale-Mills construction), architects (James Parkey/Corplan) and operators (Civigenics/Community Education Centers), despite an initial economic feasibility analysis that concluded it would not be a viable project, and despite substantial legislative obstacles.

[4] On September 3–4, 2009, the economic development director, the attorney and the vice president of Hardin's TRA negotiated a draft contract with a Southern Californian confidence man, "Michael Hilton."

Hilton was an ex-convict Serbian immigrant with more than a dozen aliases and criminal convictions, who lost many fraud, rescission and unlawful detainer cases with over $1 million in adverse judgments against him.

[9] In April 2014, Emerald Correctional Management, LLC, of Louisiana renewed efforts to obtain contracts to get it operational, holding a job fair to recruit potential employees.

[15] Two Rivers Authority concluded a lease arrangement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in December 2018; the BIA took possession and began operations in April 2019.